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In July 2014, Scottish Ministers adopted a list of 81 priority marine features (PMFs) – many of which are features characteristic of the Scottish marine environment. PMFs range from flame shell beds in our coastal waters to the cold-water coral reefs of our deeper seas and mobile species such as minke whale and basking shark.

Why the list was developed

Scotland’s coasts and seas are among the most biologically productive in the world. They support an estimated 8,000 species of plants and animals – and up to 40,000 species if you include microscopic organisms. New species are still being discovered, particularly in deeper waters to the north and west.